Bracing system for concrete forms



A. W. HECKER BRACING SYSTEM FOR CONCRETE FORMS Oct. 13, 1936.

Filed Feb.- 28, 1933 Patented Oct. 13, 1936 .31.:

I UNITED (STATES PATENT QFFICE BRACING SYSTEM" FOR CONCRETE FORMS ArthurW. necks, shaken Heights, Ohio Application February 28, 1933, Serial No.659,011

r 4 claims; (cll zsgni) I This invention relates in general to concreteand2 represent wall forms which are spaced construction, but hasreference more particularly apart so as to define a space of therequired dito a bracing system for the forms used in'such mensions intowhich the concrete in the plastic construction. state is to be poured,these forms consisting 01 In the erection-of forms for casting ormolding planks 3 or equivalent formsplaced on edge one concretestructures, such as walls and the like, abovetheother. The forms areadapted to be it is common practice to temporarily secure the maintainedin properly spaced relation by means forms in place and to take themdown after the of nuts i of frusto-conical or other form which areconcrete has sufficiently set. Thus in building threadedly secured tothe ends of tie rods 5, the walls, abutments and the like, such formsortie rod and nuts constituting what is usually redinarily consist of aseries of planks or other conferred to in the art as spreaders. creteretaining members which are placed on edge The nuts 4, as clearly shownin Figs. 1 and 2, one abovethe other so as to define a space of the areprovided with thin fiat U-shaped members 6, required dimensions intowhich the concrete in which preferably extend centrally from and areplastic state is then poured. It is important that formed integrallywith the head of the nut. The such planks or equivalent forms should bereadily Spreaders are so disposed that the members 6 removable when theyhave fulfilled their function extend through the joints between theedges of Without damage either to the concrete in the the planks 3,thereby avoiding substantially percourse of setting or to themselves, ifsuch forms forating or otherwise mutilating the planks as is are to beused over again. common in many systems now in use. It will be An objectof the invention, accordingly, is to u d stoo t the member although ofSufl provide a simple bracing system for thus securing cient thicknessto posse the t e t required in place forms of the kind described whetherused for the s r sses to which it is subj ct is not so in theconstruction of walls, floors, ceilings, sidethick as to prevent e ub atial abutment of walks, roadways or any structure adapted to b theplanks between which it passes, and that the made of concrete by pouringthe same into a slight amount of flas fo y the ment temporary form ormold. Another object of the zin u tw the planks a be readily inventionis to provide improved clamping devices scrape 0 for temporarilysecuring in position the bracing In order to prevent the wall forms frombulging members of the aforesaid system. To the actw y during thepouring 0f the Co crete, I complishment of the foregoing and relatedends, provide studs or vertically extend bracing said invention, then,consists of the means herebers, which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, arepreferinafter fully described and particularly pointed ably in the formof T-rails 1. These T-rails exout in the claims. tend upwardly betweenthe arms of the U-shaped The annexed drawing and the following demembers6 and are maintained in engagement 5 scription set forth in detailcertain mechanism with the wall forms by mea of p ng deembodying theinvention, such disclosed means vices 8. The clamping devices 8 compriseflat constituting, however, but one of various mechan- U-shaped members,the arms 9 of which are proical forms in which the principle of theinvention vided with pins, studs or hooks which a may be used. adaptedto be entered in elongated openings l l In said annexed drawing: in thearms of members 6. After the members 6 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary verticaltransverse secand 8 are caused to engage in this manner, set tionthrough a composite form of the type ordiscrews 12 which are in threadedengagement with narily used in constructing concrete walls, etc., themember 8 may b adjusted to engage e head my improved bracing system andclamping device of the T-rail I, thus holding these rails firmly inbeing shown as in use to retain the parts of the engagement with thewall forms form in proper place; Fig. 2 is a plan view of It will beparticularly noted that by providing one of the clamping devices forsecuring the studs separable clamping devices 8, that the T-rails l orvertical brace members in position; Figs. 3 and may be properlypositioned by simply placing 4 are cross-sectional views of other rolledstructhem against the forms with a minimum of hantural members which maybe used instead of the dling, whereas, if the devices 8 were integralrails as bracing members; and Fig. 5 is a fragwith the members 6, therails would have to be mentary cross-sectional view, showing a modifiedthreaded through the vertically aligned openform of spreader nut. ingsthus formed, a procedure which would in- Referring more particularly tothe drawing, I volve a considerable amount of labor. It will also benoted that the use of set screws I2 permits a variety of sizes of railsto be used, as any loose play of the rails within the clamping devicesmay be readily taken up by these set screws.

Instead of bracing members in the form of T- rails, as described, I maywithout substantial modification of the clamping devices described, userolled structural members, such as the H- beam 29 and the I-beam 30,illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 respectively.

Instead of spreader nuts of frusto-conical form as described, I mayemploy hemispherical nuts 4 which, as shown in Fig. 5, are in threadedengagement with the tie-rod 5 and are provided with integral flatmembers 6', which are similar in all respects to the members 6.

It will be readily apparent that the use of a form bracing system suchas I have described not only is labor saving in its erection anddisassembling, but is also attended by a minimum degree of injury to theforms. After the concrete has set and the forms have been removed, thenuts 4 may be unscrewed from the tie-rods 5, the members 6 of such nutsserving as a means for manually rotating the nuts, thereby dispensingwith the use of wrenches and other tools commonly employed for thispurpose.

It will be seen that the bracing system consists of metallic memberswhich may be easily handled and may be used almost indefinitely withoutsubstantial injury thereto or to the forms in conjunction with whichthey are used.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:-

1. As an element of a bracing system for concrete forms and the like, aspreader nut having a flat U-shaped member integrally secured to thehead of said nut.

2. In a bracing system for concrete forms and the like, a spreader nuthaving a fiat U-shaped member integral with the head of said nut, and aclamping device removably secured to said fiat member.

3. In a bracing system for concrete forms and the like, a spreader nuthaving a flat U-shaped member extending from the head thereof, and aU-shaped clamping member removably secured to the arms of said firstU-shaped member.

4. In a bracing system for concrete forms and the like, a spreader nuthaving a fiat U-shaped member extending from the head thereof, a U-shaped clamping member removably secured to the arms of said firstU-shaped member, and a set screw in threaded engagement with saidremovable clamping member.

ARTHUR W. HECKER.

